Short Story Unit

Story I:  Gore  (pages 3-8, Sightlines 9)

Complete the questions by answering in full sentences in your notebook.

Pre-reading

1. Guess at the meaning of the title of the story.  What does the picture suggest the story might be about?  What connections can you make between the title and the picture?
2. Why do you think scary movies and stories are so popular?

Post-reading

1. In a paragraph, describe what appears to happen in the story and contrast it with what really occurs.
2. The author’s style means the techniques the author uses in writing a story.  Find at least three examples of each of these literary techniques:

Ø      Sensory images – descriptive images that appeal to the senses

Ø      Similes – comparisons using like or as

Ø      Metaphors – comparisons which are implied (no use or like or as)

Ø      Use of sentence fragments – incomplete sentences can be used to develop impact

3. Using ResourceLines, find the definition of suspense and write it out.
4. Compare the characteristics of the twins, Lucas and Amy.  Use evidence from the story to back up your analysis.
5. Find a passage that you think is particularly suspenseful.  In a paragraph response, comment on what the author does to create suspense.

Vocabulary

Choose five of the following words and do the following:

(a)   find its definition

(b)   find the word’s location in the story

(c)   state what part of speech it is (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.)

Kinship                        Fetid

Viscous                       Invective

Crepuscular                Mirage

Glutinous                     Boon companion

Immobilizing                Undulating

Repertoire                   Gore

grommet

Story II:  Lamb to the Slaughter (by Roald Dahl) (pages 10-18, Sightlines)

1. Write a response to the story, defending or condemning Mary Maloney’s actions.  Base your response on details from the story and your own opinion.
2. Make a list of ten adjectives or phrases that describe the relationship between Mary Maloney and her husband before the murder.
3. Is the narrator of the story omniscient (“all knowing”), or is the story told from a particular point of view?  Find three examples in the text that reveal the narrative point of view.  Discuss the impact of the narrator’s perspective on the effectiveness of the story in a ½ page analysis.
4. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader of a story has information that other characters do not have.  The effect of irony can be humourous or tragic, or a combination of the two.  Identify the irony in this story and how it is created, using specific examples from the text.  Then evaluate the effect of the irony on the tone (mood/feeling) of the story.
5. Write a newspaper article about the murder of Mr. Maloney.  Be sure to include background information about him, any interviews with the police, friends and family, and Mary as well.  (If unsure, read an actual newspaper to see how it looks!)

Short Story III:  The Interlopers (by H.H. Munro) (pages 33-38, Sightlines)

1. Define “interlopers” and discuss why it was chosen as the title. 

2. Choose six words from the story that are new to you.  Define and use each in a sentence. 

3. Reread the story a second time, looking for words and passages that foreshadow the ending.  Make a list and compare it with that of a partner.  Discuss how your knowledge of the ending changed the way you read the text the second time.

          Write an epilogue to the story, indicating what you think happened next.

Short Story IV:  “Golden Girl” (pages 78-92)

Questions:

a)      At the end of the story, the narrator refers to “us cheap imitations.” Read the story again.  List all of the evidence, either in her actions or her words, that shows the narrator regards herself as a “cheap imitation” of Anna.

b)      The story is written in the first person.  What effect does this perspective have on the story?  Is the narrator likely to give reliable information?  Justify your answer in a short paragraph.

c)      A character sketch is a description of a character’s qualities that uses nouns and adjectives to name the character’s qualities, and examples and quotations from the story, play, poem, and so on, as evidence of those qualities.  A character sketch does not normally describe the character’s physical appearance unless it reveals some aspect of his or her qualities or personality.  Develop a character sketch for Anna and one other character in the story.

Short Story V:  “Long, Long After School” (pages 112-116)

Questions:

a)      The plot is the main story in a narrative or drama.  For example, the plot in “Lamb to the Slaughter” tells how the perfect wife, Mary Maloney, ends up murdering her husband and cleverly covering up her crime.  Summarize the plot of “Long, Long After School.”

b)      Find three words or descriptive phrases for each of the main characters.

c)      The setting is the place and time of a story, play, or poem.  What is the setting of this story?  Consider time of day, time of year, season, era, and location, if appropriate.

d)      Who is the narrator?  From what point of view is the story told?

e)      Find five new vocabulary words and write their definitions in your own words.

Short Story VI:  “Save the Moon for Kerdy Dickus” (pages 44-53)

Questions:

a)      Summarize the plot of “Save the Moon for Kerdy Dickus.”

b)      Find three words or descriptive phrases for each of the main characters.

c)      What is the setting of this story? 

d)      Who is the narrator?  From what point of view is the story told?

e)      Find five new vocabulary words and write their definitions in your own words.

f)        Write the National Enquirer article about the Stranger’s experience in your best tabloid journalism style.  (You may want to read a couple of articles from this type of paper first, to get an idea of how they are written http://www.nationalenquirer.com/ )

Short Story VII:  A Tell-Tale Heart 

For this assignment, go here. 

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